Bryce Harper Clarifies Gesture After Cold Reception
Bryce Harper received a cold reception from Washington Nationals fans on Thursday. He had the last laugh with a ninth-inning homer.
Bryce Harper faced accusations of vulgarity from some baseball fans because of a gesture. He clarified in the postgame interview that it’s not the case.
He said it was his ring finger, not his middle finger. Harper replied to a reporter’s query about the matter: “Ring finger, though. So just make sure that’s out there.”
The gesture appears to be a playful, mocking response to the aggressive jeers. Many fans, especially Nationals supporters, often point out that Bryce Harper has not won a World Series.
Bryce Harper spoke about the negative reception from the fans. He said: “I mean, they were doing the same thing to Trey Turner, which is crazy.”
The Philadelphia Phillies staged a spectacular 10-5 comeback win against the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Bryce Harper powered the Phillies to the 3-1 series win.
The game initially looked out of reach for Philadelphia after Washington raced to a 5-0 lead by the third inning. Bryce Harper ignited the team’s offense in the seventh with a bases-loaded walk.
The two-time NL MVP saved his best performance in the ninth inning, thrashing Gus Varland for a two-run homer. An RBI double from JT Realmuto and a two-run dinger from Derek Hill ensured no comeback from the Nationals was possible.
Up next for Bryce Harper and the Phillies is an away series against the New York Mets, their divisional rivals, at Citi Field. Game 1 will commence at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday.
Bryce Harper and Trey Turner were teammates on the Nationals from 2015 to 2018 before reuniting on the Phillies in 2023. Both players are now under massive contracts with Philadelphia. Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in March 2019.
Trey Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million contract in December 2022. The Phillies will look to build on their series win against the Nationals when they face the Mets on Friday.